Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Suginami-ku Cost of Living Comparison Between Tokyo and Suginami-ku

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,701 per month in Tokyo vs $1,177 in Suginami-ku, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,691 per month in Tokyo vs $1,890 in Suginami-ku, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,682 per month in Tokyo vs $2,602 in Suginami-ku, rent included.

Tokyo costs about 45% more than Suginami-ku, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Tokyo sits 27% above the global median, while Suginami-ku is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 ¥1,314

$6.98 ¥1,134

15.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.77 ¥7,923

$35.14 ¥5,710

38.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥891

$5.07 ¥824

8.09%

Cappuccino

$3.60 ¥584

$3.19 ¥518

12.85%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 ¥206

$1.13 ¥184

12.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥140

$0.77 ¥124

11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.08 ¥662

$2.02 ¥329

101.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 ¥883

$2.04 ¥331

166.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 ¥264

$1.57 ¥255

3.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ¥245

$1.74 ¥283

-13.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 ¥868

$4.97 ¥808

7.44%

Eggs

$2.32 ¥377

$1.58 ¥257

46.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.96 ¥2,593

$10.00 ¥1,624

59.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.12 ¥1,319

$6.41 ¥1,041

26.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.55 ¥3,664

$15.32 ¥2,489

47.19%

Apples (1kg)

$5.52 ¥897

$5.89 ¥958

-6.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.59 ¥421

$3.13 ¥509

-17.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 ¥962

$4.08 ¥662

45.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.07 ¥987

$4.60 ¥748

31.96%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 ¥527

$3.33 ¥541

-2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 ¥551

$3.73 ¥605

-9.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 ¥235

$1.39 ¥226

4.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥142

$0.86 ¥141

1.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ¥691

$4.15 ¥674

2.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.31 ¥1,513

$9.44 ¥1,534

-1.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥334

$1.75 ¥284

17.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥466

$2.12 ¥344

35.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 ¥241

$1.61 ¥262

-8.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$84.6 ¥13.7K

$54.5 ¥8,855

55.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 ¥548

$3.49 ¥568

-3.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.91 ¥473

$3.01 ¥489

-3.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.24 ¥4,264

$22.25 ¥3,616

17.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ¥195

$1.25 ¥202

-4.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.6K ¥3.8M

$22.8K ¥3.7M

3.43%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$17.2K ¥2.8M

$18.6K ¥3.0M

-7.62%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$168 ¥27.2K

$83.6 ¥13.6K

100.60%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.82 ¥4,195

$27.56 ¥4,478

-6.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 ¥5,444

$34.22 ¥5,560

-2.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 ¥11.5K

$56.8 ¥9,229

24.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.25 ¥3,289

$13.94 ¥2,265

45.27%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 ¥2,124

$11.47 ¥1,864

13.95%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$495 ¥80.3K

$287 ¥46.6K

72.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ¥2.6M

$13.8K ¥2.2M

13.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.5 ¥10,000

$20.67 ¥3,359

197.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.66 ¥6,769

$29.29 ¥4,759

42.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.9 ¥10.7K

$60.6 ¥9,852

8.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 ¥14.8K

$97.9 ¥15.9K

-6.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 ¥182.0K

$471 ¥76.6K

137.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 ¥98.5K

$334 ¥54.3K

81.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,680 ¥435.5K

$857 ¥139.2K

212.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 ¥218.0K

$668 ¥108.6K

100.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.4K ¥1.7M

$4,568 ¥742.1K

126.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,986 ¥810.1K

$2,023 ¥328.7K

146.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,330 ¥378.5K

$2,703 ¥439.2K

-13.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

1.72

-14.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tokyo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Suginami-ku: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,120 in Tokyo versus $471 in Suginami-ku. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 16% higher in Suginami-ku, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Tokyo versus $35.00 in Suginami-ku. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $320 – making Suginami-ku the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Tokyo vs Suginami-ku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tokyo costs about 45% more than Suginami-ku, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,552 per month in Tokyo and $1,765 in Suginami-ku. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Suginami-ku, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 55% less in Suginami-ku. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $495 per month in Tokyo and $287 in Suginami-ku. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Suginami-ku, where all-in costs run around $1,177, than in Tokyo at $1,701. In Suginami-ku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tokyo it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Suginami-ku costs $1,177 versus $1,701 in Tokyo. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Suginami-ku. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tokyo makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.